Northern Regional Minister Opposes Kayayei Training Centre in Accra, Calls for Localized Development
The Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John has strongly opposed the establishment of a Kayayei (female head porters) training center in Madina Accra arguing that such an initiative will only encourage the migration of young girls from the northern regions to the capital city.
His stance comes after former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the Kayayei Empowerment Training Centre on May 21, 2024, as part of efforts to provide skill development and economic opportunities for head porters in Accra.
According to a report by GBC Ghana Online the minister dismissed the initiative emphasizing that the young girls are needed in their local communities. He suggested that such training programs should be established in the northern regions, where most of the Kayayei originally come from.
I am strongly against promoting Kayayei in Accra because we need our girls at home, he stated. He further argued that the best way to support these young women is to train and empower them within their local communities rather than allowing them to travel to Accra for survival.
The minister believes the government should cover the cost of training and provide the necessary equipment to help these young girls develop skills in their hometowns. This he says will reduce rural-urban migration and ensure that they contribute to local development instead of facing harsh conditions in the city.
Drawing from his own experience, he shared how he and his peers engaged in menial jobs while in school to support themselves financially. He highlighted that through such initiatives, students could earn money for their education without relying on their parents.
Even I gathered the boys and we worked while still in school. Some of them were even able to pay their school fees. When they visited their parents, they didn’t go to ask for money; they only went to pay them a visit, he recounted.
The Kayayei Empowerment Training Centre was launched by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia with the aim of providing vocational skills, financial literacy, and better job opportunities for Kayayei, who often face poor living conditions, low wages, and exploitation in Accra.
While some believe that the initiative is a step toward improving the livelihoods of these young women, others, including the Northern Regional Minister, argue that it indirectly promotes rural-urban migration rather than addressing the root causes of poverty and unemployment in northern Ghana.
The debate highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling the challenges of Kayayei, balancing urban-based interventions with rural development policies that prevent unnecessary migration in the first place.
The disagreement between the former Vice President and the Northern Regional Minister raises critical questions about how best to empower young women from northern Ghana. Should training centers be established in Accra where the Kayayei already work or should efforts be focused on creating opportunities in their hometowns to prevent migration?
As discussions continue the future of such initiatives will depend on finding a middle ground that ensures sustainable development for young women, both in Accra and in their regions of origin.